| Code |
Material |
Characteristics |
Heat Resistant |
BF |
Polystyrene + Polypropylene |
Low density Foam material, Oil resisitant, Heat retention |
up to 110c |
| HIPS |
High Impact Polystyrene |
Impact Resistant Polystyrene |
up to 90c |
| TPS |
Transparent Polystyrene |
Impact Resistant Transparent Polystyrene |
up to 90c |
| OPS |
Double Extended Polystyrene |
Made by stretching the length & width of the Polystyt with higher clarity and shine |
up to 120c |
| HROPS |
Heat Resistant Double Extended Polystyrene |
Made by stretching the Length & width of the Heat Resistant Polystyrene with higher clarity and shine |
up to 120c |
| PSP |
Polystyrene Foam |
Made of Polystyrene Foam material, Iridescent Heat Retention |
up to 80c |
| PP |
Polystyrene Foam |
Oil resistant, Acid resistant, higher heat resistant than PS material |
up to 110c |
| PPF |
Polystyrene + Inorganic Substance |
Made of PP + Inorganic Substance material, Oil resistant, Acid resistant and Low combustion |
up to 130c |
| PET |
Amorphous & Polyethylene |
Superior clarity, Odor resistant and Oil resistant |
up to 60c |
| Material |
Use |
Appearance |
Properties |
Temp. Tolerance |
| Polypropylene |
The most common takeout packaging material, used for chicken roasters,
deli tubs, bakery and MW takeout containers. Often used w/an OPS dome, although some companies like Anchor use PP for domes and lids. Used
for some beverage containers. Excellent for ready-to-heat. |
Usually made in black or clear. If clear, it's easily made into many shapes, sizes & compartments and molded
with design elements. |
Very rigid, crack-resistant. Can be coated with anti-fog material to retain clarity. |
Preferred material for microwave and hot case. Can resist temperatures up to 220-240F. Bones, high-fat foods that retain
extra heat will not burn through. |
| OPS/HIPS |
Versatile because one SKU can be used for sandwiches, salads, bakery, deli, produce and catering. Popular for platter domes,
hinged-lid for sandwiches. |
Crystal clear, excellent for merchandising. Can also be black. |
Stiff but brittle. Offers superior leak resistance and can be coated with anti-fog material to retain clarity when used in old
cases. |
Best for cold case and room temperature applications. Can withstand
temperatures of up to 150F. Can hold hot foods but should not be put in an oven, hot case or microwave (except as a dome) |
| Foamed Polystyrene |
Clamshells and other hinged-lid containers, tableware and meat trays. Often used for restaurant doggie bags. Used for
coffee and other hot beverages. |
Can be white, black, vanilla, green, pink, yellow or blue. |
Excellent heat retention and cold insulation.
Strong, lightweight. Won't allow soak through. Snap-on domes work well on plates for table-ready presentation. Comes in a variety of grades. |
Moderate temperature resistance. Can hold hot foods and is microwaveable. Certain hot foods, such as the bones of ribs and
pork, can burn through. |
| CPET |
Frozen dinner trays and takeout entree containers that need to be heated. Good for merchandising in the freezer, hot or
cold cases. |
Often black, but can be other colors. |
A lot of design flexibility - Can be ridged, indented, formed into
multi-compartmented units. Good crack resistance when frozen. |
Dual-ovenable with wide temperature range - can be heated in regular oven to 400F or frozen to -40F. |
| PVC/PETE |
Especially good for merchandising cold foods, snack items and bakery items. Used for deli, produce, catering. Good clamshell
for sandwiches. Used as domes for cakes, pies, party platters. Good for drinking cups. Excellent for frozen foods. |
Extremely high clarity. PETE can be colored. |
Durable, tough, clear. Flexible Coke-bottle material. Creates durable hinges. Can also be made
into two-piece containers. Will flex rather than crack under weight of food. Resist cracking in the freezer. |
Moderate temperature resistance. Starts to melt before 140F. Cannot be used in oven, hot case or microwave. |
